The International Federation for the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), a
media watchdog and parent of the RIAA, championed the efforts. It
says that over one billion songs in Australia alone were downloaded illegally,
yearly, costing the music industry an untold fortune in revenue.

The new Aussie and British legislation calls for a three strikes policy.
A first offense, which the government categorizes as accessing music, TV shows
and movies illegally, would result in a warning letter from your ISP. A
second offense would result in a temporary suspension of your ISP
account. A third strike and you're out -- the ISP would terminate your
account.

Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the Government was
aware of the music
industry's stance that ISPs should be legally forced to adopt a music
industry sanctioned code of conduct. It also is aware of
the similar pending British legislation. Conroy states,
"We will also examine any UK legislation on this issue [including any
three-strikes policy] with particular interest."

Music Industry Piracy Investigations general manager Sabiene Heindl put in
over a year of lobbying to try to get the effort through. She says
2.8 million Australians downloaded music illegally last year, and not
enough is being done to stop them. She argues, "Because P2P
file sharing involves these music files sitting on individual people's
computers, there is very little that MIPI can do to remove those files or stop
them being shared. That's why we have been pushing a proposal to internet
service providers for a commonsense system of warning notices which, if
unheeded, would ultimately result in a user having their account suspended or
disconnected."

ISPs are unhappy with the move. National Internet Industry Association
chief executive Peter Corones plans on airing his constituents’
complaints to Mr. Conroy later this week. Mr. Corones argues that
current penalties are "stiff enough". In Australia
downloading music can land you injunctions, damages and costs, fines of up to
$60,500 for individuals and up to $302,500 for corporations per infringement
and up to five years' jail -- nothing to sneeze at. Corones argues,
"Internet service providers are not the enforcers of copyright."

The new legislation will likely anger Australia's youth. In a survey
of Australians between the ages of 10 and 17, 63 percent felt there was no
point paying for music and it should be freely available, mirroring the music
industry's worst fears. Unfortunately for these young people, the days of
carefree downloading may soon be at an end.

"I want people to see my movies in the best formats possible. For [Paramount] to deny people who have Blu-ray sucks!" -- Movie Director Michael Bay